U.S.S.A HellField

Chapter 33 Devastation

We had reached the temple. By the entrance to the temple were Alice and Thulia in restraints with Af'Ziel standing next to them. It seemed he had gotten to her as well. I found it strange that he was alone, something about this didn't look right to me. Why was he alone with no guards? How did he manage to subdue them both? - "Emily, stay here. Something about this doesn't sit right with me. Provide me some sniper support, please."  I told her. She nodded. I slid down the rocky slope and made my way to the temple. I trekked past the dark patch of sand to the bottom temple step, Alice looked at me as I was getting closer. Af'Ziel stood at the top, looking down at me. - "Hello Damien. I see Thulia was able to get a message out to you, perfectly timed."  He said, sounding proud of himself.

- "Why Rabban, why go through all this trouble? What's in it for you?"  I asked him, not angrily, but simply disappointed. - "I don't blame you for wanting to know, I would want to know too. The thing is Damien, I didn't want to do this. But, he promised me that my people would be safe if I handed you all in, I'm sorry."  He told me, sounding remorseful. He didn't need to tell me who made this deal with him. I knew exactly who was behind this. - "Rabban, he can't be trusted, he's no god. You can still come back from this. You didn't hurt them, right?"  I asked him, gesturing at Alice and Thulia. - "I didn't personally, but...no this has to be done. My god promised me that my people would once again live in prosperity until the time in which we would all join him."  He said, getting progressively more frustrated.

It was hard to tell if he was under some kind of influence, but he seemed to genuinely believe what he was told. - "It's not too late, you can still fix this. Umbra'Kesh is tricking you into killing us. That's his real name. Mubra'kur is an alias, it's all been a long con to manipulate you. Please see that."  I explained, trying to convince him that this was all a mistake. I went up the steps to Alice to undo her restraints, starting with the iron band around her mouth. She had a terrified look in her eyes. - "Damien, watch out! He's got a gun!"  I turned around to see  Af'Ziel pointing some kind of weapon at me. He fired a wave of energy, flinging me down the steps into the sand below.  "Damien!"  Alice yelled out to me. 

I got up and brushed myself up. Af'Ziel looked down at me from atop the steps again. - "I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that. Beast of the collapse. Consumer of countless worlds. I will not allow you to do the same to mine again. Mubra'Kur revealed the truth to me, his words have illuminated me. While I alone would stand no chance against you. They; who had once forsaken their people, now are reborn as its defenders."  He said as he raised his arms out wide. For a moment there was silence, and then the next the ground was trembling. All around me, six large, dark Alsha arose from the now-blackened sand beneath me. They towered above me, their bodies covered in the same tattoos Alice had. They resembled each of the six statues in the sanctuary.

- "Um Damien, we're surrounded. What're we going to do?"  Metis asked me nervously. - "I think it's pretty obvious. We're going to kick their asses of course."  I said. - "Behold Crusader. The Calimams reborn! They once each represented the virtues of Alsha society, now they shall uphold them here today. For here shall be the grave of the Umbral Beast."  He then sat down on a stone throne. They all approached me slowly with murderous intent, they each stood more than a head over the tallest Alsha and were muscled-bound in a way that made them resemble a statue carved out of onyx. While they were all large, they each had a distinct shape and look.

The one to my left threw the first punch and then another. I dodged them both, but as I turned around, the rest began swinging with all four fists. I blocked and dodged as best as I could, but their attacks were overwhelming and became too much for me. They broke my guard with each thunderous strike and then they began beating me down. I tried stabbing one, but his lower arm grabbed mine and slammed me on the now-hardened stone ground. Of all the fights I've been in, I had never been so effortlessly beaten down. - "No, Damien! Get up. You have to get back up!"  I heard Alice scream out to me.